In which stories do not write themselves

[rolanni]

It was my stated intention today to complete “Emancipated Child,” an Archers Beach short story, in first draft. I would have had to write at least 6,000 words to have accomplished that; I only wrote slightly in excess of 2,000, and there you have it.

Contributing to the Unconscionable Delay of Progress was that I had to do research. Yes, I’m writing fiction, but I’m writing fiction set in an only slightly alternative iteration of several places that exist in real-time geography. It strikes me that I need to spend a good long day or two at the History House at Old Orchard — something to put on the list of must-dos for September. First, there was — and remains — the wretched business of the Vanished Avenue; now there’s this other thing — when did Old Orchard Beach, a created town in its own right*, gobble up Surfside?

And! For eight hundred dollars and the car! Why can’t I find any real history of Surfside on Teh Intertubes?

So, anyhow, establishing boundaries for half-imaginary towns, not to mention deciding important things like the size of its population “now” kinda chewed into the writing time.

Other than that, the project’s going well. The story flipped about three sentences in, taking a sharp left turn from the outline, gaining speed the further away it got. Typical, really.

Left turn or not, the story remains about Jason Thibodeau (pronounced TEEbow. Yes, I know. But it is. Really.), the emancipated child of the title. We meet Jason as he’s running away from his cousin Matt, who is bent on beating the crap out of him. For having gone and gotten himself emancipated, but that’s sort of beside the point.

The point. . .is that my protagonist — short, smart, ambitious, and attitudinal — is running away from a bully.

And that got me thinking about how very many science fiction and fantasy stories start with the protagonist running away from a bully, or a mob of bullies, or having come fresh from an encounter with a bully.

Bullying is a hot topic nowadays — y’all know that. I’m not saying that’s wrong; in fact, I think it’s wonderful that we’re talking about this and trying to make change.

But the thing is — science fiction and fantasy writers have been saying this for years, and years, and years — that Funny Looking Kids are bullied for no reason other than that they look funny**; that not fitting in can be a death sentence for some kids, absent a magical intervention. They’ve said it so often, and at such a pitch that it’s become a cliche.

Was no one listening?

No one?

That’s. . .rather depressing. I like to think that people can — and do — learn from stories. But, I guess if you don’t read — or if you don’t read “that trash” — or. . .

I mean, honestly — did you think we were making this stuff up?

Well.

Tomorrow’s goal is to finish “Emancipated Child” in first draft. Could be I’ll actually manage it.

——————
*Old Orchard Beach separated from Saco, Maine in 1883.

**Trust me — a girl who was six foot tall before she was twelve years old, having, in addition, a really weird and screamingly funny speech impediment? Knows something up close and personal about the treatment dished out to Funny Looking Kids.

Originally published at Sharon Lee, Writer. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

You don't even have to be funny-looking, believe me ...*offers soothing tea*

[star-horse3.livejournal.com]

I remember a girl who was 6' and 185 lbs before she was 12. It was always surprising when she spoke in a child's voice about a child's interests. It got me thinking that we seem to equate height with maturity, and expect more of tall kids. So, when they act like kids, they don't get the same slack that other kids might. This was a big thing for me, because I'm at the other end of the spectrum: I was 4'll" when I graduated high school, and was often frustrated by the condescending attitude shown towards "little girls."

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

It is one of the things we play with, with the Liadens being small that Terrans automatically process them as "young".

And, yes, I was often assumed -- by randome adults -- to be the elder in any group of my peers, and therefore to have "more sense."

...ahem...

[filkferengi]

Well, you did have the sense to pick a cool partner to write great books with & nifty kitties to facilitate things.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Y'know, the book I just wrote for my nephew starts with the small clever kid running away from the large bullying one too...

Researching Surfside

[mothadventures.livejournal.com]

Darn, I got sucked into trying to research Surfside!

I'm finding almost nothing showing Surfside as an independent legal entity.

I do go at searches at a somewhat odd angle from many people, and wonder if you've tried contacting the York County Registry of Deeds? If Surfside was any kind of independent city, town, etc they should know, and could probably give you dates, since they would have to know when property records where under 'Surfside' or under OOB... I can't research this online as their online database only goes back to 1966.

I have found that Surfside exists as a location on the 1916 USGS maps (Portland quadrangle) but does NOT exist on the 1893 quadrangle. In 1893, there is an entry north of Old Orchard called "Ocean Point", however it's not quite right against the ocean: in 1916, Ocean Point is gone but Surfside exists, right by the shore. In 2011, both Surfside and Surfside Beach exist. This does NOT mean these were any kind of township or legal entity -- just that they were a point of interest or data for the map. (For instance the OOB Pier is listed by name on the 2011 map: it's on the 1916 map but not identified by name: and is absent from the 1893 map.)

Also, poking around in the newly released 1940 census images, I didn't find any entries for "Surfside" -- and if it was an unincorporated place that had over 100 people, it should have been written in as an unincorporated place.

If you have a street name in modern OOB that might have been part of Surfside at some point, I can try and dig back some more.

This is fun -- I haven't had a client ask me for this kind of web search for ages!

PS: Could you please add me on facebook? Over there, I am Can Do (I do business as We Can Do That). I sent a friend request a while ago and will pop another one over.

Re: Researching Surfside

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

If you have a street name in modern OOB that might have been part of Surfside at some point, I can try and dig back some more.

The key, from my research, is Wavelet Street -- a formerly through street paralleling East Grand, now broken by the Sunspray condos.

Kathy Sullivan's Research Librarian Superpowers reveal that Surfside had been a "roadside resort," built in 1916, inside the town line of Old Orchard Beach, but "outside of town" (where "town" would have been defined by the Pier and the restaurant/hotel district). You and Philip Allfrey made the independent parallel discovery that the Pier itself sometimes appears on maps as a "point of interest" and sometimes doesn't.

Surfside is noted on the map of the area I had used as reference for Carousel Tides, probably, indeed, for the same reason -- it was a destination of interest.

Surfside resort was sold to developers in 2003, when the owner-hosts found it necessary to retire. And so we have the Sunspray, and the broken street.

In terms of the story I'm writing, this couldn't be better. *rubs hands together*



P.S. Now that I know who you are on FB, yes I will.

Re: Researching Surfside

[mothadventures.livejournal.com]

Interestingly enough, I'm not finding anything on Wavelet Street in the census data, nor in the deeds I've looked at so far. A lot of the deeds feature the Goodkowskys and the Cloutiers, Cleaves street, and Surf Street (Surf repeatedly gets mentioned in deeds as, basically, if any of this land would interfere with surf street it's excluded from the deed and belongs to the town.) However, I'm handicapped by the limited time span York County has put on line.

But as I trace back deeds I'm repeatedly running into references of a "Plan of Lands at Old Orchard Beach dated June 8, 1878, drawn by James Slade, Civil Engineer, Biddeford, Main and recorded on July 29, 1890 in said Registry of Deeds, Plan Book 4, Page 7". I've found other references to this area of land as a "subdivision of old orchard beach". This document is too old to get via the web, but it might be worth contacting the York County Registry of Deeds and asking them if they can get you a copy. Their # is 207-324-1576 . (I'm usually doing this kind of search in Massachusetts; don't know how much the folks in Maine would charge for a copy, or if they will fax or email a .pdf). Plan Book 4, page 73, might also be of interest for background information, if they are inexpensive...

Re: Researching Surfside

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Wow, you really did get hooked! *g*

Surf Street is the Missing Avenue. I think. *I'm* handicapped by having been told its story by a Public Works guy in the middle of a sidewalk overcrowded with beach goers, their dogs, babies, crew, and sibs impatiently waiting for the Downeaster to pass so they could march on to the sand.

Anyhow, the story as I remember it is that there had, once upon a time, been a street beyond -- i.e. closer to the ocean -- and paralleling East Grand -- i.e. Maine Route 9 -- and that it had been really badly damaged in a storm, whereupon the town decided to abandon it. This having happened during the working life of the maybe-65-year-old guy who was telling me the story. The relevant-to-this-discussion quote being -- "An' it run all the way down t'Surfside."

Re: Researching Surfside

[mothadventures.livejournal.com]

I am *far* too hooked.

But..BINGO! I think it's not Surf Street, but Surfside Avenue. I tracked down some owner names on the current "Wavelet" street via the assessors, then backtracked them against the registry of deeds and kept bouncing backwards via older referenced documents, until I found at least two cases where "wavelet street" properties USED to have a mailing address (for mortgage purposes) of Surfside Avenue, or of East Surfside Avenue.

I'd ballpark the name change at sometime after the mid to late 1980's, based on a mortgage in 1986 that references "43 East Surfside Avenue, Old Orchard Beach" (book 3921/pg 207, just in case you need it).

I seem to recall two big storms in the mid 80's to early 90's, Gloria and Bob, so that could also fit into the oral history you got. And of course there was the "Perfect Storm", which might also have done that kind of damage...

I have also found references to a plan on file with the registry of deeds that appears to explicitly lay out the "surfside" area: "..being a plan of lots of Mittie H. Kenney, called "Surfside", said plan being recorded in the York County Registry of Deeds in Plan Book 4, Page 59". If you do end up requesting pages from the RoD, this one sounds like a winner to add to the list!

There is still a small W Surf Street in town, according to Google, and it's a straight line from it to Wavelet. Of course that would run right through the Palace, but I think it's possible that East Surfside started north of the palace, the way West and East Grand street split there (well, Ok, at Old Orchard Street, if you want to be finicky about it). However, I would have to try and track down some old atlases (the older, free USGS maps don't have names at that level of detail) to confirm that bit. Would that be helpful?

I could also try the backtrack route with puffin street, just based on the modern map views, if more confirmation would be good.

For a definitive answer, I'd call or email the town Public Works department ( http://www.oobmaine.com/Pages/OldOrchardBeachME_DPW/index ) and ask them about street name changes.

Re: Researching Surfside

[joycependle.livejournal.com]

P.S. Now that I know who you are on FB, yes I will.

Facebook used to encourage sending a message with a friends request, now it seems to make it impossible to send it. Boo:(

[torrilin.livejournal.com]

I've never had to run from bullies.

That's because by the time I got to an age where it'd be an issue, I'd seen it happen plenty in fiction. Don't be alone with other kids who you don't get on with. Be conspicuously where adults can see you. Don't get caught in circles of kids. Avoid crowds. Not explicitly taught in books, but used anyway... I made sure I had allies. Kids will try most anything to produce a couple scapegoats. Turns out 3-4 "scapegoats" allied together are much safer than they would be alone.

So while I was a loner and funny looking and and and and and... other kids whether they wanted to get physical with me or not had a hard time doing so.

Thank god too, because I can't run. Physically can't. And everyone knew it.

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

I never had to actually run from bullies, either --- chasing another kid *would* have been noticed and stopped in my school. I also learned that my teachers would stop verbal bullying IF they heard/saw it, so early developed a tendency to stay in sight of whichever adult was supervising *nods*

[6-penny.livejournal.com]

You were lucky. The worst individual bully I had to do with was sneaky. Would come up behind and quickly hook his forearm under my chin and pull me over backwards (stopped that when I bit him in the ankle), shove kids faces hard into the water fountain - and throw a soccer hard into my face - 'it was an accident honest'! The last gave me a phobia about any rapidly moving objects anywhere nearby. Made any sports difficult.
Group bullies are a whole'nother volume.
Bastards. And the adults who ignored them. And the adults who raised them.

[seachanges.livejournal.com]

One of the reasons I fell in love with SF&F as a kid was because it addressed bullying. It was the only place where I could find characters I could identify with, whose experiences most closely resembled mine.

[mindsurfer1.livejournal.com]

For a kid who attended 6 different schools, from 1st grade through 12, and in three different geographical regions, the art of being invisible (as you describe it so well in Theo’s adventures) was a skill much sought after.
Alas, I was not always successful.
Until now, it never occurred to me that the kindred souls which I found in the pages of Science Fiction…
just may have… ahh

[muirecan.livejournal.com]

Bullying is something that typically cycles in and out of the news every 4 or 5 years. It is a favorite topic to bring up because it is easy to talk about and not actually do anything about. By that I mean lots of rules to treat symptoms get put in place but nothing is done to actually reign in the actual bullies.

Typically schools respond by these massive blanket one size fits all rules that don't do anything to actually stop bullying. Worse parents have taken to using lawyers to defend their perfect little darlings who couldn't possibly have done anything wrong. And don't you try to tell the parents anything different.

So as I said the symptoms get a patch every 4 or 5 years then it drops back out of the news then reappears and the symptoms get another patch.

Until the problem of parents protecting their little bullies progress can't be made. Well it wouldn't hurt for school authorities to actually use intelligence and discretion. ::sigh::

Misc

[catherine ives (from livejournal.com)]

I'm assuming the author did say where Emancipated Child is going to be published. Maybe I missed it. Will it be on the Splinter Universe or where? Which publisher is it promised to?

Very interesting research on Old Orchard Beach. Again I stand in awe of your commenter/fans.

Bullying. It seems to me that the bullies are most probably being bullied at home. So they turn around and bully kids at school. My finger would point first to the fathers bullying their sons. there can be problems with alcoholism, violence, etc. at home. Families take great pains to appear as perfect on the outside. Children guard their family secrets. Also some kids are bullies one minute and victims of bullying the next. Then too some teachers are bullies. I know of one in our local middle school as told to me by a young mother whose son is being bullied by that teacher. She's been screaming at and hitting kids for years but for some reason she's never been fired. Charming. This is a serious problem than has to do probably with the mental health of the entire community. For some reason I was not bullied at school. I knew a girl who was though. Strange that I was missed.